''Watan Ke Rakhwale'' () is a 1987 Indian
Hindi-language
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
action thriller film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
directed by
T. Rama Rao
Tatineni Rama Rao (1938 – 20 April 2022) was an Indian filmmaker. He directed 75 Hindi and Telugu language, Telugu feature films between 1966 and 2000.
Career
Rao started his work in the film industry in the late 1950s as the assistant direc ...
. It features an
ensemble cast
In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17
Structure
In contrast to ...
of
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Dutt; 6 June 1929 — 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director and politician. Dutt was one of the major stars of Hindi cinema in the late 1950s and 1960s and continued to star in many successful film ...
,
Dharmendra
Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
,
Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty (born Gouranga Chakraborty; 16 June 1950) is an Indian actor, producer and politician who predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali language films. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He is the recipient of three ...
,
Sridevi
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Female ...
,
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
,
Ashok Kumar
Kumudlal Ganguly (13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), better known by his stage name Ashok Kumar and also by Dadamoni, was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema and who was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family.
He ...
,
Puneet Issar
Puneet Issar (born 6 November 1959) is an Indian actor, writer, director, producer and dialect coach best known for his works in Hindi films and television shows. Issar started his acting career as a villain in the Manmohan Desai's 1983 film '' ...
,
Prem Chopra
Prem Chopra (born 23 September 1935) is an Indian actor in Hindi and Punjabi films. He has acted in 380 films over a span of over 60 years. He has a soft-spoken diction despite being a villain in most films. His 19 films, with him as antagonist ...
,
Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor (born Sunil Kapoor; 3 September 1952) is an Indian actor and comedian who appears in Bollywood films. Known for his villainous and comic roles in Hindi films, he has featured in over 600 films. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kapoor teame ...
and
Kader Khan
Kader Khan (22 October 1937 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and film director. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 Bollywood films after his debut film in the 1973 film '' Daag'', starring Rajesh Khanna, in which he ...
. The film revolves around how a spy (Chakraborty) fabricates a plot to bring a terrorist to justice, and how he is helped out by his lover (Sridevi), his elder brother and sister-in-law (Dutt and Chatterjee) and a jailed convict (Dharmendra).
''Watan Ke Rakhwale'' released worldwide on 14th August 1987, one day before the Indian Independence Day. It received mainly positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, becoming the 7th
highest grossing film of 1987.
Plot
Radha Pratap (
Sridevi
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Female ...
) lives a wealthy lifestyle with her widowed businessman dad Raja Pratap (
Sudhir Dalvi
Sudhir Dalvi is an Indian actor. He first came to prominence for portraying Guru Vashishta in Ramanand Sagar's TV series '' Ramayan'' and is well known for his role as Sai Baba. He also acted as Sai Baba in Manoj Kumar's feature film ''Shirdi ...
), her maternal grandmother (
Lalita Pawar
Lalita Pawar (18 April 1916 – 24 February 1998) was a prolific Indian actress, who later became famous as a character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema. She holds a Guinness world record of longest ac ...
) and paternal uncle, Dr. Narendra (
Prem Chopra
Prem Chopra (born 23 September 1935) is an Indian actor in Hindi and Punjabi films. He has acted in 380 films over a span of over 60 years. He has a soft-spoken diction despite being a villain in most films. His 19 films, with him as antagonist ...
), who runs a mental hospital. Shortly after her father dies in a car accident, her marriage is arranged with equally wealthy Naresh Puri (
Dan Dhanoa
Dan Dhanoa (born ''Inderpreet Singh Dhanoa''; 28 February 1959) is a former Indian film actor and a sailor (master mariner) in the Merchant Navy.
He is known mostly for portraying cult villainous roles in Hindi cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, ...
), the only child of Raj Puri (
Kader Khan
Kader Khan (22 October 1937 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and film director. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 Bollywood films after his debut film in the 1973 film '' Daag'', starring Rajesh Khanna, in which he ...
). When the marriage is about to be finalized, a man named Arun (
Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty (born Gouranga Chakraborty; 16 June 1950) is an Indian actor, producer and politician who predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali language films. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He is the recipient of three ...
) interrupts the ceremony, informing them that Radha is already married to him, and produces proof and a witness, Professor Peter Fernandes (
Ashok Kumar
Kumudlal Ganguly (13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), better known by his stage name Ashok Kumar and also by Dadamoni, was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema and who was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family.
He ...
).
The wedding is cancelled amidst chaos as Radha claims that she had never seen Arun, leave alone married him. A few days later, Narendra and Raj ask Radha to sign a divorce petition, which will annul the marriage so that she will be free to marry Naresh, which she does sign. When the time comes for her to move out, she refuses and admits that she made a mistake and admits having been married to Arun, who lives with his brother, Suraj Prakash (
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Dutt; 6 June 1929 — 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director and politician. Dutt was one of the major stars of Hindi cinema in the late 1950s and 1960s and continued to star in many successful film ...
), a Jailor and his wife Laxmi (
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
). A few days later, Naresh is arrested by the Police for smuggling, and lodged in a jail, where he is killed by a convict named Mahaveer (
Dharmendra
Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
), who had seen Naresh sexually molest his sister, Vimla (
Divya Rana
Divya Rana is a former Bollywood actress most noted for her role in Raj Kapoor's ''Ram Teri Ganga Maili''. Divya began her career with the film '' Ek Jaan Hain Hum'' (1983) opposite Raj Kapoor's youngest son Rajiv Kapoor. Then she was selected as ...
). Enraged at the death of his son, Raj has his men molest and threaten Laxmi. Shortly thereafter Narendra's body is found, knifed to death.
Suraj confesses to this crime, is arrested, tried in court and sentenced to 6 years in the very jail where he used to be the Jailor. Raj arranges the abduction of Radha, Laxmi and Arun and has them confined on an island that is not within the jurisdiction of any country. The questions remain, why did Arun claim that Radha is married to him? why did Suraj confess to kill Narendra? and what is going to be the fate of Raj's victims?
Cast
*
Mithun Chakraborty
Mithun Chakraborty (born Gouranga Chakraborty; 16 June 1950) is an Indian actor, producer and politician who predominantly worked in Hindi and Bengali language films. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. He is the recipient of three ...
as Arun Prakash
*
Dharmendra
Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first " He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has worked in over 301 ...
as Mahaveer
*
Sridevi
Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan (13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), professionally credited with her stage name Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. Cited as the "First Female ...
as Radha Pratap
*
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Dutt; 6 June 1929 — 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director and politician. Dutt was one of the major stars of Hindi cinema in the late 1950s and 1960s and continued to star in many successful film ...
as Jailor Suraj Prakash
*
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
as Laxmi Prakash
*
Ashok Kumar
Kumudlal Ganguly (13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), better known by his stage name Ashok Kumar and also by Dadamoni, was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema and who was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family.
He ...
as Professor Peter Fernandes
*
Puneet Issar
Puneet Issar (born 6 November 1959) is an Indian actor, writer, director, producer and dialect coach best known for his works in Hindi films and television shows. Issar started his acting career as a villain in the Manmohan Desai's 1983 film '' ...
as Akbar (Arun's Assistant)
*
Prem Chopra
Prem Chopra (born 23 September 1935) is an Indian actor in Hindi and Punjabi films. He has acted in 380 films over a span of over 60 years. He has a soft-spoken diction despite being a villain in most films. His 19 films, with him as antagonist ...
as Dr. Narendra Pratap
*
Shakti Kapoor
Shakti Kapoor (born Sunil Kapoor; 3 September 1952) is an Indian actor and comedian who appears in Bollywood films. Known for his villainous and comic roles in Hindi films, he has featured in over 600 films. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kapoor teame ...
as Koya Koya Attache
*
Kader Khan
Kader Khan (22 October 1937 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and film director. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 Bollywood films after his debut film in the 1973 film '' Daag'', starring Rajesh Khanna, in which he ...
as Raj Puri
*
Parikshit Sahni
Parikshit Sahni (born 1 January 1944) is an Indian actor who is known for playing the lead in TV series Barrister Vinod, ''Gul Gulshan Gulfaam'' (Doordarshan) and ''Gaatha'' (Star Plus). He has also appeared in three of Rajkumar Hirani's block ...
as Assistant Jailor Madan
*
Chandrashekhar Chandrasekhar, Chandrashekhar or Chandra Shekhar is an Indian name and may refer to a number of individuals. The name comes from the name of an incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva. In this form he married the goddess Parvati. Etymologically, the nam ...
as Police Commissioner
*
Lalita Pawar
Lalita Pawar (18 April 1916 – 24 February 1998) was a prolific Indian actress, who later became famous as a character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema. She holds a Guinness world record of longest ac ...
as Radha's Maternal Grandmother
*
Ashalata Wabgaonkar
Ashalata Wabgaonkar (2 July 1941 – 22 September 2020) commonly known as Ashalata, was an Indian actress. Originally tracing her roots to Goa's Palolem village in Canacona ''taluka'' (or 'sub-district'), she was associated with the Mumbai-base ...
as Mahaveer's Mother
*
Divya Rana
Divya Rana is a former Bollywood actress most noted for her role in Raj Kapoor's ''Ram Teri Ganga Maili''. Divya began her career with the film '' Ek Jaan Hain Hum'' (1983) opposite Raj Kapoor's youngest son Rajiv Kapoor. Then she was selected as ...
as Vimla "Vimli" (Mahaveer's Sister)
*
Birbal
Birbal (; born Mahesh Das; 1528 16 February 1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Saraswat Hindu Bhatt Brahmin advisor and main commander (''Mukhya Senapati'') of army in the court of the Mughal emperor, Akbar. He is mostly known in the Indian subcon ...
as Psychiatrist, Mental Hospital Doctor
*
Sudhir Dalvi
Sudhir Dalvi is an Indian actor. He first came to prominence for portraying Guru Vashishta in Ramanand Sagar's TV series '' Ramayan'' and is well known for his role as Sai Baba. He also acted as Sai Baba in Manoj Kumar's feature film ''Shirdi ...
as Raja Pratap
*
Dan Dhanoa
Dan Dhanoa (born ''Inderpreet Singh Dhanoa''; 28 February 1959) is a former Indian film actor and a sailor (master mariner) in the Merchant Navy.
He is known mostly for portraying cult villainous roles in Hindi cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, ...
as Naresh Puri
*
Mac Mohan
Mohan Makijany (24 April 1938 – 10 May 2010), popularly known as Mac Mohan, was an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi cinema. He was known for his villainous roles in films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He appeared in over 200 films, in ...
as Mac
*
Jack Gaud
Jack Gaud (1958 8 June 2000) was an Indian actor, film producer & military personnel known mostly for portrayal of negative roles in Hindi cinema. He died of a heart attack at the age of 42 in 2000. He entered cinema after leaving the Indian N ...
as Raj Puri's Goon
*
Baby Guddu
An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...
as Young Vimla
Songs
All lyrics are written by
Majrooh Sultanpuri
Asrar ul Hassan Khan (1 October 1919 − 24 May 2000), better known as Majrooh Sultanpuri, was an Indian Urdu poet and lyricist in India's Hindi language film industry. He wrote Hindustani lyrics for numerous Hindi film soundtracks.
He was ...
.
Box office
The film was a super hit and seventh highest-grossing movie of 1987.
References
External links
*
{{Tatineni Rama Rao
1987 films
1980s Hindi-language films
Films directed by T. Rama Rao
Films scored by Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Indian action drama films
1980s action drama films